Educational Technology Debate Posts & Comments

Collaborative Learning 2.0 for Pakistan

wayan — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:30:15 -0700

The technological evolution of Web 2.0 tools has produced a global platform that empowers the collective wisdom and intelligence of the crowd. Powerful arrays of technologies are emerging as ecosystems for extending, enhancing and enabling learning in an accelerated mode.

The importance of Learning 2.0

Deemed “Learning 2.0″, these online collaborative, interactive, and just-in-time information delivery technologies are encroaching on mainstream education in developed economies. The planets in Pakistan’s education constellation are aligning for universal adoption with its rapidly growing Internet infrastructure, increased funding from donor nations and an overwhelming demand from an illiterate population for which only scaling via Learning 2.0 technologies can provide the solution.

These new and innovative technologies are not intended as replacements for traditional education, but rather as extensions that enhance, compliment and scale learning in deep and powerful ways. Moreover, technology tends to transcend ethnic quagmires undermining consensus in countries having diverse cultures, languages and governmental jurisdictions. Could the challenges of Pakistan’s National Education Policy be expedited with interactive communication and collaborative technologies? Let’s explore some of the learning features of these emerging technologies.

Tagging, the practice of attaching a descriptive word or phrase to a piece of online content for the purpose of linking it to other related digital media, is a well-known web phenomenon. Students searching for those tags can retrieve that specific and relevant content; thus, facilitating just-in-time learning and creating new possibilities for creative expression.

The Learning 2.0 Platform for Teachers and Students in Pakistan has introduced a new technology that provides the capability to transcend the limitations of simple tagging for describing entire chunks of rich media. This next generation of tagging and its derivative progeny – linking and searching – allows the creation of direct links to specific parts within a larger selection of media. By indexing metadata, which enables tagging specific sections, you get deeper data information with the descriptor “deep tagging”.

Creating just in time learning environments

Consider the possibilities for just-in-time learning: educators record their multi-hour lectures with an inexpensive webcam, tag and upload the video files onto the Learning 2.0 Platform as small digestible chunks – reusable learning objects. Students can pinpoint and repeatedly review the relevant information without enduring the entire session. Deep tagging metadata allows them to jump instantly to that specific section within the video for the information they need to learn, anytime and from anyplace with web access.

The adjoining image illustrates how deep tagging enhances collaborative learning. Abdul Aziz Bhatti, Principal at the Federal Government Model School for Boys G-0/4 in Islamabad was videotaped giving a lecture about Chemistry. Students tagged the video while watching and their tags are indexed and made available to all who subsequently watch the presentation. Students can also comment upon their peers’ tags and all comments are emailed to the teacher for response and interaction.

Link to Principal Bhatti’s Lecture.

Educators can also provide students with links to their lectures and assignments to tag as a class project. With this technology they can tag “chapters” and “topics” within the media file with a descriptive text for each tag. Additionally, all tags can be exported and distributed as a blog.

Once the students tag a portion of a video or locate a tagged section of a video that is relevant to what they wish to learn, they may want to share the link with others. They can embed this as a deep link on their website, blog, or even in an email message. When other students click on the deep link, they will be taken not to the beginning of the video but to that precise section within the video.

Rather than conducting a search for keywords or tags that describe an entire video, students can conduct deep searches for tags that describe specific sections within a video and then immediately jump to that precise portion of the video clip. This saves time and facilitates education because students don’t have to watch a five-minute video to find a five-second nugget of information they need to understand.

How do these deep technologies specifically enhance learning?

They increase the granularity of indexed media, allowing specific parts of video lectures to be more easily remixed, linked, and reused.
They engage students to co-create content via annotation of lectures.
They make media, as an instructional tool more efficient since reviewing streaming video is less time consuming than print media.

Also, these deep technologies enhance the educational content. The more the commenting and annotating, the more valuable the learning asset becomes as the wisdom of numerous and diverse interested parties add layers of collective intelligence to the video. Furthermore, specific moments of time within these videos can be instantaneously identified and retrieved using with the Learning 2.0 Platform metadata search engine.

A new hope for education in Pakistan

Consider the opportunity for enhancing the quality of education in Pakistan with the ability to access thousands of video lectures produced by the top teachers throughout the country. This digital archive could be searched as indexed metadata by key words within the annotations. Not only would this video library compliment and extend traditional learning but it would also provide scale, giving millions of students access to a quality 21st Century education.

This past October, President Obama signed the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act (Kerry-Lugar Bill), which authorizes tripling U.S. civilian economic and development assistance to Pakistan to $1.5 billion annually for the next five years. Education is a priority; therefore, the adoption of Learning 2.0 as a complimentary component to Pakistan’s national curriculum, would cost a pittance while fostering a new culture of learning. It would also be a promising and positive step towards educating millions of students with the new literacy they will require to compete in a global flat world economy.

Phil Cruver

http://social.kzoeducation.com/user_blog.php

James BonTempo - eLearning's Promise: Will New Models Scale to Educate Youth?

James BonTempo — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:33:21 -0700

Just in case you didn't know, last year the US Department of Education published a meta-analysis of research done on the effect of online learning on educational outcomes. One interesting finding: a blended approach - combining online with face-to-face - was more effective than either completely online or face-to-face learning (in order of decreasing efficacy). A review of the study from Inside Higher Ed can be found at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/06/29/onl... And you can download the full report at http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-ba... This evidence will certainly be informing our approach to learning technology @ Jhpiego...

@Pamela_McLean - Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

@Pamela_McLean — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:35:10 -0700

Great news that The LaL is still active. Please do get me information for Nigeria. What of Cameroon? One of my contacts there (Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo http://www.facebook.com/zoneziwohis) is involved in a health workshop next month. It would be good to get information to her about LaL, so she could find out if it would be relevant for any of the participants. I agree with you completely that the important thing in eLearning in Developing Countries is results. Don't we all agree that the point of having the technology and the information is to serve a genuine purpose for real people, and to do that as effectively as we can?

Geeta - Mobile Phones: Better Learning Tools than Computers?

Geeta — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:47:15 -0700

Very interesting discussion above. However, when you look at rural India, the mobile phone coverage far out numbers that of computers. Therefore, when using ICT in rural India, it is best to approach the learners with the "known" technology which is the mobile phone and then take them to the aspirational technology "computers" and the use of Internet. We've found through numerous studies that the adoption of mobile phones is much higher and cuts across barriers of age, culture, and literacy skills. T

@HealthIT_Africa - Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

@HealthIT_Africa — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:52:18 -0700

@Pamela_McLean The LaL is still active and they are currently working to scale-up and extend the program into hundreds of schools and community centers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical regions. I could get some information for you on how to participate. On informal or formal traditional learning, I believe the end should justify the means. If behaviors are changed for good, life becomes better, people are more healthy, young people make good life choices, etc then the approach is justified. And as Ian Thomson rightly said, content is king. If the information is not making any impact on the target audience, the platform and the method are altogether useless.

@Pamela_McLean - Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

@Pamela_McLean — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:18:00 -0700

Is the Learning for Living project still running? If new people can join in then I would like to know how (so that I can pass on the information to some teachers and health workers I know in rural Nigeria). Also, I appreciate the phone follow up as a great example of non formal mLearning - no exams, no certificates, no set curriculum - just an opportunity to learn. Once the area of interest had been defined, people were encouraged to ask questions and answers were given. People were learning because they wanted the knowledge, not for some other objective. It often seems to me that most people only think of formal traditional learning when they discuss mlearning. Is that just my impression or do others get the same feeling? Thanks for sharing this excellent video.

Ian Thomson - Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

Ian Thomson — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:30 -0700

We must not forget content in this debate. Using western centric educational resources will not be appropriate for developing countries (as we have already seen in the existing colonial based education systems) Looking at the growing Open Education Resources (OER) movement is encouraging, but what is especially interesting is the approach taken by Wiki Educator. It uses the wiki approach of using existing content and re-purposing it for local conditions. As an example, a teacher in PNG can download a lesson plan, with attached resources, modify it for their own requirements (for example put it in the local language) and then re-store it on the wikieducator site for others to use. Have a look at http://wikieducator.org/Main_Page Ian

Wayan Vota - Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

Wayan Vota — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:05:32 -0700

I'd love a Guest Post on the opportunity of mobile phones in eLearning. I'm thinking they'd be great to extend the "classroom" to matatu rides to/from work. If you have an opinion on (m)eLearing, please email your Guest Post to editors@edutechdebate.org

Cavin Mugarura - Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

Cavin Mugarura — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:52:38 -0700

Mobile learning (m learning) is possible. There is an application called epocrates (epocrates.com), that can be helpful to students learning Pharmacology (Doctors/Nurses/etc). It's only limitation is working on smart phones. m Learning can be helpful, but the limited memory space of most phones, means you can only deliver basic learning materials, usually Text. To setup a two way m learning center in a university would require a lot of investment, which is out of reach for the majority of Universities/Educational Institutions in Developing countries. A Cheaper alternative is to send periodic information to students.

@HealthIT_Africa - Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

@HealthIT_Africa — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:27:00 -0700

While developing countries wait for the realization of a national backbone ICT infrastructure , developers and innovators should do more with using mobile phone as a platform for eLearning (mLearning) where contents are delivered via text messaging. i will bet that this is the most innovative I have seen. Learning about living has a good model of this ICT4E concept. [youtube UCHPH-Nx-hc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCHPH-Nx-hc youtube] @Pamela_McLean, that was a good observation on local teaching in Nigeria, this is more of a cultural issue and it might take some effort to change this.

@Pamela_McLean - Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

@Pamela_McLean — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:55:51 -0700

I welcome your emphasis on the need for training in order to make the most of new opportunities provided by greater on-line access. In our experience in Nigeria there are two parts to this training challenge. One is learning about computers. The other is about attitudes to learning. Local teaching tends to be rote learning, and students are not expected to ask questions. Questioning is not seen as good involvement and interest. Instead it is seen more as a challenge to authority, or as a suggestion that the teacher has not explained well enough. This leaves many students ill prepared for a questioning approach to their studies and the challenges of being self-directed learners making their own way through eLearning materials. I imagine this is less of a problem in urban areas and with elites. How does this issue relate to your experiences?

Strategies for Deploying eLearning in Developing Countries

wayan — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:35:15 -0700

More than 60% of students who qualify for University or tertiary education in the developing countries are not able to join due to limited physical infrastructure. With the introduction of elearning, these students can be admitted in extra mural programs. The concept of brick universities has to be replaced with click technology.

The World Wide Web and advances in Open Source Software have led to an eLearning Revolution, where students can access a plethora of learning materials, easily and conveniently. This has been propelled by the Hardware Industry where the processing power of computers is doubling every 18 months (Moore’s Law) and yet the prices either reduce or remain the same.

The Western model of eLearning can not apply to developing countries

All these advantages have not trickled to the majority of the population in developing countries. Many developing countries don’t have high speed internet access, due to a myriad of factors including but not limited to intermittent electricity, use of expensive low bandwidth satellite technology, and inadequately trained personnel. Internet access is less than 10% in Africa alone.

Fortunately many countries have started deploying nationwide backbone ICT infrastructure, built on high speed fiber cables. Several countries in East and Southern Africa have also invested in undersea cables to tap the global Internet super highway. In order for developing countries to accrue the benefits associated with e learning, they need to think of innovative ways to deliver online content on the national backbone, instead of relying on the unreliable and expensive Internet. Private institutions such as banks are already using the backbone to inter connect different branches country wide for their transaction processing needs.

eLearning at Makerere University

Higher institutions of learning like universities and technical colleges need to embrace this model, to deliver elearning to their students located within the main campus and satellite campuses. The deployment can be based on a push model where the main server is connected to the national backbone, and through online updates from a high speed Internet connection, the content is posted through the Extranets (National Backbone).

eLearning requires training for staff and students

Another challenge for implementing eLearning is training of academic staff in the use of ICTs to deliver online training. With academic staff over burdened by large student numbers, the introduction of eLearning is prone to face stiff resistance. Several academic staff members are not conversant with the use of computers, even for basic tasks like word processing. To expect staff members to deliver online training using technology they are not familiar with is no mean feat.

This technology has to be rolled out through use of blended learning and an incentive structure is paramount. Universities and Institutions of higher learning need dedicated eLearning Support Centers that can convert learning materials into digital formats. Such a facility can provide training to academic staff and students who don’t have the skills in elearning.

Students also need to be trained in Foundation ICT courses before starting their main course programs. The majority of students who join tertiary institutions also have inadequate skills to engage in e learning. ICT foundation courses should be mandatory for students, who don’t have the basic computing skills that include Word Processing, Email & Internet.

Cavin Mugarura - eLearning's Promise: Will New Models Scale to Educate Youth?

Cavin Mugarura — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:27:49 -0800

Many countries in developing countries are plagued with slow and intermittent internet. The positive aspect is that some countries have started laying national backbones running on fiber cables. Universities and other Institutions involved in E Learning, should deploy online materials on national backbones, rather than relying on Internet connectivity, where its hard or impossible to transmit large files to users with low bandwidth.

Nicola Ferralis - eLearning's Promise: Will New Models Scale to Educate Youth?

Nicola Ferralis — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:04:27 -0800

Robyn, those already exists, at least at college level: http://ocw.mit.edu/ http://www.youtube.com/user/UCBerkeley But that's only one side of the story. What about course assessment, homework, in other words creative and dynamic content? I think the opportunity is more for a new approach in using the technology dynamically, rather than simply using a new medium for a very traditional lecture-style teaching...

Robyn Fisher - eLearning's Promise: Will New Models Scale to Educate Youth?

Robyn Fisher — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:45:50 -0800

What about providing developing countries with access to relevant iTunesU-type classroom lectures from reputable schools/universities? They could be packaged courses, provided on mobile devices, or projected for an entire room. Problem is downloading/streaming video content. But I love the possibility of providing access to Harvard-quality lectures to those who can't afford it. These lectures could eventually be connected to ebooks, student community, and online testing/certification.

Nicola Ferralis - eLearning's Promise: Will New Models Scale to Educate Youth?

Nicola Ferralis — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:41:31 -0800

I guess a related question is: who will create such content? WIll the telecom be involved in the process? As software in cellphones is becoming more and more controlled and sometimes policed by the manufacturer (see the iPhone) one has to wonder how much freedom will be granted to an application that delivers "questionable content". In sum, while internet experienced from a desktop/laptop is essentially free (as in speech), I doubt the same could be said for a cellphone.

Wayan - eLearning's Promise: Will New Models Scale to Educate Youth?

Wayan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:57:44 -0800

I'm wondering if mobile phones can play a role in expanding eLearning? I can envision a commuter downloading video lessons on their phone to watch while their on the bus or matatu between work and home. I've seen a thriving DVD movie to phone burning business in Nigeria, so the demand for engaging video content on mobile phones is there. The real question is content - what content will people pay enough for to support the content creator. English lessons would be the most obvious. Maybe give away the lessons but charge to take the tests/get "certified" by the organization? What do you think?

Caroline Meeks - What We Really Need for Students with Disabilities

Caroline Meeks — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:37:09 -0800

"Here in Afghanistan, a self-instructional sign language application running on the OLPC or other hardware is envisioned that will support parents, children and teachers to learn to communicate with each other." This is a great idea Mike. I heard a similar proposal for Nicaragua from the group from Harvard that went down with to a deaf school in Jan. http://hellolaptop.org/nicaragua.html I know Kevin who works in Gauladette's IT is also interested. Maybe there is a way to pool resources to create an infrastructure that could be localized.

eLearning’s Promise: Will New Models Scale to Educate Youth?

wayan — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:06:50 -0800

Young people make up 18 percent of the world’s population today, or 1.2 billion in absolute terms. Of these 15-24 year-olds, 87% live in developing countries. At the same time, their basic educational needs are not being met. More than one-third of all youth around the world are not in the classroom – 73% of youth in sub-Saharan Africa and 51% in South and West Asia.

Yet developing world governments cannot expand traditional educational facilitates to these youth or the even larger cohort behind them. Demand for higher education in Asia and Africa will grow from 48 million enrollments in 1990 to 159 million enrollments in 2025, but India spent only 3.2% of GDP in 2005 on education, ranking it 140th of 180 countries tracked by the CIA World Factbook.

Look at that eLearning idea

The inability of developing countries to meet the demand for quality secondary and higher education has a direct impact on economic growth. Researchers at Harvard University estimate that a one-year increase in tertiary education stock would raise the long-run steady-state level of African GDP per capita by 12.2%.

So improving access to education is one of the best investments that donor agencies and governments can make. Now what if it were possible to nearly double the number of secondary and university seats in a developing country overnight and with relatively little investment from the public sector?

eLearning – the provision of educational opportunities via information and communication technologies – could have that kind of scale with recent advances in electronic content creation and the proliferation of technology devices.

In this month’s Educational Technology Debate, we’ll focus on three main questions eLearning models bring forth:

What do these new eLearning pedagogical models look like?

How can new business models make eLearning services affordable?

Who will validate or accredit eLearning programs?

Join us for this conversation by submitting a Guest Post with your ideas around eLearning’s promise. We seek articles of at least 300+ words stating your learned opinion, backed with links and photographs (if possible).

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John - Reflections on the Success of OLPC in Education

John — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:35:26 -0800

Hi - is there an English Version of the above M&E plan?